sleuths

plural of sleuth
as in detectives
a person not on the police force who investigates criminal or illicit activity or searches for missing persons the popular TV sleuth lives a much more action-packed life than do his real-world counterparts

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sleuths And some local activists and internet sleuths are scouring the hillsides and topo maps trying to determine which properties would benefit most from the recent tree poisonings. Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Tips have poured in from as far away as Kansas, with internet sleuths and true crime influencers tracking every theory. Eileen Murphy, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 Fans started to act as super sleuths, investigating Inviz’s actions and trying to track down Gerasimov. Kyle MacNeill, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026 Even if Rodri's cleats added an extra inch or two, online sleuths point to other comparisons, including with Prince William who met with the president in 2024. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 21 July 2026 So when things go badly inside the opaque world of many private schools, it can be left to parents, police, journalists and amateur sleuths to find and expose wrongdoing. Jennifer Smith Richards, ProPublica, 16 July 2026 While Freddy was in Boston mourning Germany’s defeat, online sleuths excavated the least-savory tidbits from his X posting history. Will Oremus, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026 Groups of amateur sleuths also cropped up in the hollows of tragedy to wrestle with the case and analyze rumors swarming the Horman family in online forums, echoing a familiar pattern of behavior on the internet in the face of long-unsolved criminal cases. Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 23 June 2026 Shortly after her debut on the hit reality series, online sleuths uncovered a video in which Alannah allegedly uses the N-word while singing along to a song. Allison Degrushe, StyleCaster, 22 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleuths
Noun
  • Harrison Area detectives were investigating the shooting Sunday morning.
    Asal Rezaei, CBS News, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Giordano said Vasquez and Felix were arrested on Saturday after being interviewed for the first time by detectives about the incident.
    Tristan Maglunog, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Meanwhile, investigators continue to run lab analyses on DNA found at her home as the desperate search for Guthrie continues.
    Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • The investigators had named a deputy head of the presidential office among the suspects in a money-laundering case.
    ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sleuths.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleuths. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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